polygraphs
Deception detection devices
Polygraphs are devices that measure physiological responses—heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, skin conductivity—while a subject answers questions.
The theory is that lying produces detectable stress.
Law enforcement and employers use polygraphs despite scientific consensus that they're unreliable: He failed the polygraph but maintained his innocence.
A polygraph is also a person who writes on many subjects, or the test itself.
Device measuring physiological deception signs
- examinerOne who evaluates officially
- electrodesElectrical contact points
- sensorsDevices that detect input
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
galvanic · respiration · cardiovascular · biometrics · instrumentation · calibration · measurements · accuracy
Deliberate untruths
- truthfulnessHabit of not lying
- dishonestyDisposition toward falsehood
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
- falsehoodDeliberate untrue statement
guilty knowledge · concealment · evasion · countermeasures · beating · fooling · nervousness · arousal
Quality of being permitted
- reliabilityConsistent, predictable performance
- validityQuality of being sound
- accuracyDegree of correctness
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
courtroom · forensic · junk science · pseudoscience · controversy · false positives · false negatives · error rate
Persistent apprehensive distress
- nervousnessState of anxious unease
- sweatingMoisture through pores
- heart rateCardiac contractions per minute
- blood pressureCirculatory force measurement
breathing · fear · apprehension · arousal · fight or flight · physiological response · baseline · control
Seeking answers through inquiry
- suspectsThinks someone's guilty
- examinerOne who evaluates officially
- post-testEvaluation after intervention
- confessionsActs of revealing guilt
investigations · law enforcement · detectives · screening · vetting · clearance · admissions · denials
lie detector
Device measuring physiological deception signs
- examinerOne who evaluates officially
- electrodesElectrical contact points
- sensorsDevices that detect input
monitoring · galvanic · respiration · cardiovascular · biometrics · instrumentation · calibration · measurements · accuracy · hardware
lies
Deliberate untruths
- truthfulnessHabit of not lying
- dishonestyDisposition toward falsehood
- fabricationDeliberately untrue statement
falsehood · guilty knowledge · concealment · evasion · countermeasures · beating · fooling · nervousness · arousal · stress response
admissibility
Quality of being permitted
- reliabilityConsistent, predictable performance
- validityQuality of being sound
- accuracyDegree of correctness
testimony · courtroom · forensic · junk science · pseudoscience · controversy · false positives · false negatives · error rate · scientific validity
anxiety
Persistent apprehensive distress
- nervousnessState of anxious unease
- sweatingMoisture through pores
- heart rateCardiac contractions per minute
blood pressure · breathing · fear · apprehension · arousal · fight or flight · physiological response · baseline · control · inconclusive
questioning
Seeking answers through inquiry
- suspectsThinks someone's guilty
- examinerOne who evaluates officially
- post-testEvaluation after intervention
confessions · investigations · law enforcement · detectives · screening · vetting · clearance · admissions · denials · countermeasures
- hiringhiring, job, interview, resume, application
- police technologybody cameras, CCTV, dash cams, dashcams, facial recognition
- espionagespy, spies, double agent, double agents, spying
- police equipmentbadges, handcuffs, patrol cars, squad cars, batons
- pseudosciencehomeopathy, astrology, phrenology, numerology, palmistry
- surveillancesurveillance, CCTV, security camera, surveillance camera, surveillance cameras
polygraphsmind-reading
Perceiving others' thoughts directly
telepathy · confession · self-report · eyewitness testimony · gut instinct
polygraphsDNA testing
Analyzing hereditary material
fingerprint analysis · forensic evidence · hard evidence · mathematical proof · DNA evidence
polygraphsgood faith
Sincere, honest intent
blind faith · benefit of the doubt · presumption of innocence · taking at face value · credence
- polygraph testsTruth verification examinations
- polygraph machineDeception-detecting measurement apparatus